Business Studies and Economics
Business Studies is available to girls as an option at GCSE, AS and A2 level. Economics is taught in the Sixth Form. The topical nature of these subjects means that resources are constantly up-dated. Recent case studies and current data are therefore drawn from newspapers, magazines, TV and IT sources. Students are expected to use a wide range of sources in researching their assignments. These subjects provide an important contribution to modern citizenship and are supplemented by talks, visits and competitions.
Key Stage 4
GCSE Business Studies is taught in Years 10 and 11 and follows the Edexcel specification. It is an important subject for all students, both the budding entrepreneurs amongst us and those who want to know more about business organizations, of which one day they may be a part. It includes a study of marketing, finance and accounts, production, human resource management, business organization, location, the economic and political worlds and their effects on business and it draws heavily on case study material of businesses in the real world. There are two written examination papers (one at the end of Year 10 and one at the end of Year 11) based on case study material and one piece of controlled assessment, which accounts for 25% of the final mark.
Key Stage 5
Students taking Business Studies at Advanced Level will normally have taken the subject at GCSE level, but we are happy for a year 12 student with no previous knowledge of this subject to join the course but assume that she has a keen interest in the business environment. Interest in what is being reported in the media, the desire to join in business competitions such as Young Enterprise and those offered by the Ogden Trust, CIMA, etc. will all add to the enjoyment and achievement of students at this level.
Students study the AQA specification which is split into four modules. Two modules are taken at AS level and two at A2. Module 1, which is taken in January of Year 12 deals with Marketing and Finance. Module 2 covers Operations Management, People, Objectives and Strategy and the External Environment. In A2, module 3 is taken in January. It is a decision making paper based on different topic areas in Finance, Marketing, Operations Management and People building on the work done at AS level. Module 4, taken in June, is a synoptic paper based on a pre-released case study topic and includes Objectives and Strategy and the External Environment.
